With Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, you might be tempted to either take your home off the market or hold off on listing it until after the new year.
After all, you’re busy cooking, shopping and decorating, and the last thing you need is a bunch of potential buyers traipsing through your house, right? Wrong. Removing your home from the market during the holiday season, or not putting your home on the market if you’re getting ready to sell could be a huge mistake. Why? The most obvious reason, your house can’t sell if it’s off the market.
Here, Realtor.com explains why this time of year actually can be ideal for selling.
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Your listing will rise to the top
If homeowners in your neighborhood take a break from the market because they don’t want to bother keeping their properties in show-ready condition during the holidays, that makes for reduced inventory. And that means buyers who are actively searching will be more likely to uncover your listing.
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Your house looks (and smells) amazing during the holidays
You have built-in ambiance with festive greenery, the aroma of cookies baking and a warm fire in the hearth. That means you can appeal to buyers’ senses in a way that you can’t during other times of the year. Homes tend to show a lot better during the holidays with that nice, homey feeling. Plus, chances are good you’ll tap into some buyer sentimentality—and that often results in a sale. Don’t go overboard with decorations, though. And remember: Buyers need to imagine their furniture in each room, so avoid blocking important selling features such as large windows and fireplace mantels.
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Holiday buyers aren’t messing around
While things typically slow down in the weeks leading up to the holidays, people still are actively looking for homes and ready to pounce—or they just entered the market on a short timeline and need to buy fast. Potential buyers who take the time to set up home tours during the holiday season also are more motivated to move forward if they like what they see.
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Families often search during school breaks
Relocating families often capitalize on the holidays as a time to move without tumult on the kids. They want to find the right property, have stress-free negotiations and get their brood settled before school starts up again in January. It’s a good time to show your house to people from out of town.
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It can be easier to close a transaction in December
Buyers can often get their loans processed and approved faster in November or December than they would in the traditionally busy spring months. It all comes down to the holiday slowdown. Fewer home sales are on deck to process, plus lenders are motivated to close deals before the end of the year.
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The holidays give you a chance to adjust your selling strategy
If your home’s been languishing on the market for several weeks—or months—you might be feeling antsy. Maybe the best solution is to take it off the market and try again after the new year. You’re better off staying the course and using this slow time to tweak your selling strategy. Would home staging draw in buyers? Do you need to tackle that paint job you’ve been putting off? Should you reassess your asking price?
